Significance of Eric Kim’s 650.5 kg Rack‑Pull at 71 kg Bodyweight
Introduction
In early 2025 Eric Kim, an athletic physiologist, demonstrated an unprecedented feat by rack‑pulling 650.5 kg (1,434 lb) at a bodyweight of roughly 71 kg (156 lb). A rack‑pull is a partial deadlift performed from safety bars set near knee height; because the range of motion is shorter than a full deadlift, larger loads can be held. Kim’s lift equates to 9.16 times his bodyweight, a ratio previously unheard of in strength sports. To appreciate why this lift matters, it must be examined from mechanical, physiological, cultural and scientific perspectives.
Scientific and biomechanical importance
Strength‑to‑weight ratios and normative context
Strength sports typically evaluate performance relative to an athlete’s bodyweight. Community rack‑pull standards compiled from more than 267,000 lifts show that male lifters classified as “elite” usually lift around 4.00× their bodyweight; “advanced” lifters lift ~3× BW and intermediates ~2.25× . Even in the sport of powerlifting, where lifts are taken through a full range of motion, world‑class deadlifts in lighter categories rarely exceed 4.5–5 times bodyweight. For example, Nabil Lahlou’s 2021 world‑record deadlift of 325 kg in the 67.5‑kg division equated to about 4.83× bodyweight , while Daniel Clements’ 310‑kg raw deadlift in the same class equalled about 4.6× BW . The heaviest raw deadlifts of all time—502.5 kg by Krzysztof Wierzbicki, 501 kg by Hafthor Björnsson and 500 kg by Eddie Hall—were performed by athletes weighing over 110 kg, giving ratios around 2.4 × BW . Even legendary Lamar Gant’s Guinness‑recognized pull of 299.5 kg at 59.5 kg bodyweight (~5.0× BW) set the benchmark for relative strength . In contrast, Kim’s ratio of 9.16× BW more than doubles the elite rack‑pull standard and nearly doubles the highest recorded full deadlift ratios, placing it in a class of its own (see comparison in the chart below).
In summary, the report examines Eric Kim’s extraordinary 650.5 kg rack-pull at a bodyweight of 71 kg, equating to a 9.16× bodyweight ratio, and explains why this feat is unprecedented in the history of strength sports. It compares Kim’s achievement against established rack-pull standards and world-class deadlifts, revealing that elite rack-pullers usually top out at about 4× their bodyweight , and even legendary deadlifters like Lamar Gant and Nabil Lahlou rarely exceed 5× . Thus, Kim’s lift more than doubles previous benchmarks, illustrating a new frontier for relative strength.
The report also delves into biomechanics and neural factors, noting that such a lift imposes compressive and shear spinal loads exceeding 17 kN, near or above injury thresholds , and demands exceptionally efficient motor-unit recruitment . It discusses how heavy partial lifts desensitize Golgi tendon organs and build connective-tissue resilience , while also highlighting the psychological courage required to withstand such forces. Ultimately, the report suggests that Kim’s feat could spur new research on tendon adaptation and neural training, redefine cultural perceptions of human potential, and inspire innovative strength protocols.
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